Multi-story garage construction



Oct. 8, 1963 1.. w. PIAZOLO 3,105,999

MULTI-STORY GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7. 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 8, 1963 1.. w. PIAZOLO MULTI-STORY GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. '7, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wa n I I l lufim Oct. 8, 1963 L. w. PlAZOLO 3,105,999

MULTI-STORY GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7. 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 'IEDEHH 11 HHITHT.

Oct. 8, 1963 1.. w. PlAzo-Lo 3,105,999

MULTI-STORY GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. '7, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 in? v9 United States Patent 3,105,999 MULTl-STORY GARAGE QONSTRUQTIQN Ludwig Wilheim Piazolo, Karl-Marx Str. 5, Dortmund, Germany Filed Feb. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 638,831 Claims priority, application Germany Feb. 8, 1956 6 Claims. (Cl. Ell-1.13)

The present invention relates to a multi-story garage in the form of a helically-shaped building structure having a helically-shaped supporting surface forming an entrance ramp, a car storing platform and an exit ramp of the garage.

More specifically the present invention relates to specific building elements for constructing such a garage.

Multi-story garages in the form of helically-shaped building structure as described above are well known in the art, however the erection of such garages is very expensive and time-consuming.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks in the erection of such multi-story garages according to the prior art.

It is a further object of the present invention to considerably reduce the time and expense for the erection of such multi-story garages.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a structure which can be easily erected and which can also be easily disassembled and re-erected at another location if such a relocation should be desired.

With these objects in mind, the garage of the present invention is in the form of a helically-shaped building structure having a helically-shaped supporting surface forming an entrance ramp, a car storing platform, and an exit ramp of the garage, this helically-shaped building structure being composed of a plurality of prefabricated generally sector-shaped elements, each extending subst-am tially from the center of the building structure to the periphery thereof, and the building elements of the structure abutting against each other at their radially extending edges and being connected to each other at said edges.

Preferably the building elements from which the helically-shaped building is formed are all identical and adjacent building elements are connected to each other by identical connecting means.

Each of the building elements comprises a plurality of carrying girders arranged substantially in one plane, a plurality of floor beams carried by md extending between the carrying girders, and a plurality of supporting colums connected to and extending substantially normal to these griders. In the finished structure the supoprting columns extend between and space the superimposed helix portions of the helically-shaped building structure from each other. Foundation means also provided to support the supporting columns of adjacent building elements of the lowest helix portion of the superimposed helix portions of the building structure at distances increasing in the direction of the helix from the ground on which the building structure is erected.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description d ldbfih Fatented Oct. 8, 1963 of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a garage according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-section taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the building structure;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line B-B of FIG. 8;

FIG. 5 is a perspective partial view of the building structure;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of one of the generally sectorshaped building elements;

FIG. 7 is a partially sectioned side view of a plurality of superimposed building elements;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a plurality of superimposed building elements, the section being taken through the main supporting columns of these elements; and

FIG. 9 is a partial end view of the building structure viewed from the outside of the building toward the center thereof.

Referring now to the drawings and especially to FIGS. l-3 of the same, it will be seen that the garage of the present invention is in the form of a helically-shaped building structure having a helically-shaped supporting surface, forming an entrance ramp or ascending lane 2 and exit ramp or descending lane 5 as well as car storing platforms 3 and 4. The supporting surface is preferably wide enough so that a plurality of cars 21, schematically illustrated in FIG. 4 by triangles, can be arranged end to end on a strip 5 located outside the lane 2 and another plurality of cars may be arranged side by side and normal to the driving direction on a strip 4 located between the entrance lane 2 and the exit lane 5. At least one passage or aisle 6 is provided on the storing strip 4 so that the cars from the outer strip 3 may cross from the entrance lane 2 into the exit line 6. 1

Concrete ramps '7 and 8 form respectively the connec tion between the bottom ends of the entrance ramp or entrance lane 2 and the exit ramp or exit lane 5 and the ground on which the garage structure is erected. Pref- V erably the ramps 7 and 8 are spaced from each other so that the traffic of cars in and out of the garage can be maintained without interference. A ramp 9 for pedestrains may be arranged in the center of the helicallyshaped buiding structure and this pedestrian ramp 9 may be supported from cantilever beams etxending from the helically-shaped supoprting surface. Elevators 10 may also be arranged in a central well of the structure. The space between the ground on'which the structure is erected and the lowest of the helically-shaped supporting surfaces may be used for service or repair shops or for the storage of additional cars. A gas station 11 is also pref erably arranged at this location.

According to the present invention the helically-shaped. building structure is composed and erected from a plurality of prefabricated building elements 22. Preferably all of the building elements 22 are of identical shape and construction. A preferred form of a generally sector shaped building element 22 is illustrated in the FIGS. 5-9. Each of the building elements 22 comprises a generally sector-shaped platform extending substantially from the center of the building structure to the periphery thereof and a supporting column 12 fixed to the platform and projecting substantially normal therefrom. The platform comprises a fork-shaped centrally arranged and radially extending main girder 13, a pair of radially extending girders 16 extending along the edges of the building element, an outer girder 15 extending between and being connected to the outer ends of the radially extending girders l6 and an inner girder 14 extending between and being connected to the inner ends of the girders 1d. The platform also includes a plurality of floor beams 19 carried by and extending between the radially extending girders 13 and 16, and these floor beams are preferably covered by cover plates 29 in a known manner. The main supporting column 12 is preferably connected to the fork point of the main girder 13 and projects substantially normal to the main girder therefrom. Auxiliary supporting columns 17 and 13 may also be provided, which are respectively connected to the outer and inner corners of the generally sector-shaped platforms. The supporting columns l7, 18 extend parallel to the main supporting column 12. An additional supporting column 17 may also be provided at the intersection between the main girders 13 and the outer girder 15. The construction is preferably made from appropriately formed structural shapes and beams which may be welded or otherwise connected to each other and the steel beams and columns forming the construction may also be covered with concrete. Adjacent generally sector shaped elements are connected to each other at the radial extending girders at their outer edges to prevent twisting or warping of adjacent building elements and the bottom ends of the supporting columns of the building elements are connected to the top surface of the building elements underneath. There are provided identical connecting means 23 for connecting the building elements 22 to each other at the abutting edges thereof and identical means 24 for connecting the free ends of the supporting columns 12, 17, 18 to the building element located underneath the columns, respectively. The supporting columns of the lowest helix portion, that is the lowest convolution of the helically-shaped building structure are supported on the foundation means 1 at distances increasing in the direction of the helix from the ground on which the building structure is erected. FIG. 8 illustrates the connecting means 23 and 2 diagrammatically. As shown in this figure, the identical connecting means 24 includes a plate attached at the foot of the column which is connected by conventional means to the building element located underneath the column. The identical building elements 22 are connected by identical connecting means 23 such as screw bolts and straps, which further simplifies the assembly of the building elements and further reduces the cost of the building, since the whole building can be assembled from identical, prefabricated building elements and identical, standard connecting means. The weight of these building elements can be held small enough so that the mounting of the same can be accomplished by a crane placed outside the structure to be erected. The construction of the building elements '22 is such that the can be assembled and disassembled in one piece and they are 'made at the same time strong enough to withstand, when assembled, all vertical and horizontal loads, such as the loads of the stored cars and the wind loads occurring on the structure. The building elements 22 are self-contained and self-supporting, since they are capable of supporting the loads normally applied thereto in the structure Without support by other elements. The building elements 22 can be assembled and disassembled as units and, when assembled with each other, they are adapted to withstand the'loads normally applied thereto in the structure without the necessity of reinforcing the building structure with any additional supporting elements or reinforcing constructions. The overall cost of the building is in this way considerably reduced in comparison with known building methods and the construction has the additonal great advantage that the whole structure can also be disassembled in relative simple manor traffic density at the location where the building was first erected.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of garages in the form of a helically-shaped building structure ditfering from the types described above.

For instance it is of course possible to make the individual generally sector-shaped building elements long enough so that cars can be stored on the periphery of the supporting surface also in a direction normal to the driving direction. The arrangement of the girders and supporting columns of each building element may also be slightly different from the arrangement shown in the drawings and described above. Furthermore, the same construction may be used to build a garage underground. The generally sector-shaped building elements may also be used to erect other buildings than garages along a similar pattern.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a garage in the form of a helically-shaped building structure, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehend-ed within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

.1. A garage in the form of a helically-shaped building structure having a helically shaped progressively elevated supporting surface, said helically-shaped building structure composed of a plurality of identical prefabricated generally sector-shaped building elements, each ex-tending substantially from the center of said building structure to the periphery thereof, each of said building elements comprising a plurality of carrying girders having top faces arranged substantially in one plane, a plurality of floor beams carried by and extending between said girders and forming with said girders a supporting platform, said supporting platform having inner and outer ends, and a plurality of supporting columns connected to and extending substantially normal :tosaid girders, said plurality of supporting columns including a substantially central main suppor -ting column and auxiliary columns substantially at the inner and outer ends of said platform, said columns of each building element forming together a self-contained, self-supporting building element, said supporting columns being vertically aligned and spaced along said helioally-sh'aped supporting surface in the finished structure extending between and spacing the superimposed helix portions of said helically-shaped building. structure from each other and forming a substantially continuous load transmitting vertical column structure extending throughout the height of the entire garage, said building elements abutting against each other along their radially extending edges and being connected to each other at said edges.

2. A garage in theform of a helioally shaped building structure having a helically-sh-aped progressively elevated supporting surface, said helically-shaped building foregoing will so fully girders, floor beams and supporting structure composed of a plurality of identical preiabricated generally sector-shaped building elements, each extending substantially from the center of said building structure to the periphery thereof, each of said building elements comprising a fork-shaped, centrally arranged and radially extending main girder, a pair of radially extending girders respectively located along the edges of said building element, at least one outer girder extending between and being connected to the iotuer ends of said radially extending girders, a plurality of floor beams carried by and extending between the radially arranged girders, a main supporting column connected to the fork point of the main girder and extending substantially normal to said girder, and a plurality of auxiliary supporting columns connected to the corners of said generally sector-shaped building element and extending parallel to said main supporting column, said girders, floor beams and supporting columns of each building element forming together a self-contained, self-supporting building element, said supporting columns extending in the finished structure between and spacing the superimposed helix portions of said helically-shapedbuilding structure from each other, said building elements abutting against each other along their radially extending edges and being connected to each other at said edges.

3. A garage in the form of a helically-shaped build ing structure having a helically-shaped progressively elevated supporting surface, said helically-shaped building structure composed of a plurality of identical prefabricated generally sector-shaped building elements, each extending substantially from the center of said building structure to the periphery thereof, each of said building elements comprising a fork-shaped, centrally arranged and radially extending main girder, a pair of radially extending girders respectively located along the edges of said building element, at least one outer girder extending between and being connected to the outer ends of said radially extending girders, a plurality of floor beams carried by and extending between the radially arranged girders, a main supporting column connected to the fork point of the main girder and extending substantially normal to said girder, and a plurality of auxiliary sup porting columns connected to the corners of said generally sector-shaped building element and extending parallel to said main sup-porting column, said girders, floor beams and supporting columns of each building element forming together a self-contained, self-supporting building element, said supporting column extending in the finished structure between and spacing the superimposed helix portions of said helically-shaped building structure from each other, said building elements abutting against each other along their radially extending edges; connecting means connecting said building elements to each other at the abutting edges thereof; and means connecting the free ends of the supporting columns to the building element located respectively underneath said columns.

4. A garage the form of a helically-shaped building structure having a helicallyshaped progressively elevated supporting surface, said helically-shaped building structure composed of a plurality of identical prefabricated generally ssector-shaped building elements, each extending substantially from the center of said building structure to the periphery thereof, each of said building elements comprising a fork-shaped, centrally arranged and radially extending main girder, a pair of radially extending girders respectively located along the edges of said building element, at least one outer gird-er extending between and being connected to the outer ends of said radially extending girders, a plurality of floor beams carried by and extending between the radially arranged girders, a main supporting column connected to the fork point of the main girder and extending substantially normal to said girder, and a plurality of auxiliary supporting columns connected to the corners of said generally sectors'haped building element and extending parallel to said main supporting column, said girders, floor beams and supporting columns of each building element forming together a self-contained, self-supporting building element, said supporting column extending in the finished structure between and spacing the superimposed helix portions of said helically-shaped building structure from each other, said building elements abutting against each other along their radially extending edges; connecting means connecting said building elements to each other at the abutting edges thereof, means connecting the free ends of the supporting columns to the building element located respectively underneath said columns; and foundation means supporting the supporting columns of adjacent building elements of the lowest helix convolution of the superimposed helix portions of the helically-shaped building structure at distances increasing in the direction of the helix from the ground on which the building structure is erected. I

5. A multi-story garage in the form of a helically shaped building structure having a helically shaped progressively elevated supporting surface, said helically shaped building structure composed of a plurality of identical prefabricated building elements, each comprising a generally sector-shaped platform having inner and outer ends and a plurality of supporting columns fixedly connected to and extending substantially normal from said platform so as to form therewith a self-contained, self-supporting building element, said plurality of suppontin-g columns including a substantially central main supporting column and auxiliary columns substantially at the inner and outer ends of said platform, said supporting columns being vertical-1y aligned and spaced along said helically-shaped supporting surface in the finished structure extending be tween and spacing the superimposed helix portions of said helically shaped buildingstructure from each other and forming a substantially continuous load transmitting vertical column structure extending throughout the height of the entire garage and said generally sector-shaped platforms abutting against each other along their radially extending edges and being connected to each other at said edges, said connected generally seotor shaped platforms forming together a continuous supporting surface.

6. A multi-story garage in the form of a helically shaped building structure having a helically shaped progressively elevated supporting surface, said helically shaped building structure composed of a plurality of identical prefabricated building elements, each comprising a generally sector-shaped platform having inner and outer ends and a plurality of supporting columns fixedly connected to and extending substantially normal from said platform so as to form therewith a self-contained, selfsupporting building element,'said plurality of supporting columns including a substantially central main supporting column and auxiliary columns substantially at the inner and outer ends of said platform, said supporting columns being vertically aligned and spaced along said helically-shaped supporting surface in the finished structure extending between and spacing the superimposed helix portions of said helically shaped building stnucture from each other and forming a substantially continuous load transmitting vertical column structure extending throughout the height of the entire garage and said generaly'sector-shaped platforms abutting against each other along their radially extending edges; connecting means connecting said platforms of said building elements to each other at the abutting edges thereof; and means connecting the free ends of said supporting columns to the platforms respectively located underneath said columns, said connected generally sector-shaped platforms forming together a continuous supporting surface, whereby said building structure may be efficiently erected from said prefabricated self-contained building elements and References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,321,100 Higgins Nov. 11, 1919 1,420,494 Muilaney June 20, 1922 1,432,131 Seurges Oct. 17, 1922 1,506,822 Foster Sept. 2, 1924 1,982,551 Smith Nov. 27, 1934 Ncrnick Mar. 17, 1953 Zeckendorf Jan. 11, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1920 Netherlands 1925 France 1925 France 1944 Italy 1950 France Dec. 2, 1953 France May 5, 1954 France June 22, 1955 

1. A GARAGE IN THE FORM OF A HELICALLY-SHAPED BUILDING STRUCTURE HAVING A HELICALLY SHAPED PROGRESSIVELY ELEVATED SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID HELICALLY-SHAPED BUILDING STRUCTURE COMPOSED OF A PLURALITY OF IDENTICAL PREFABRICATED GENERALLY SECTOR-SHAPED BUILDING ELEMENTS, EACH EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID BUILDING STRUCTURE TO THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, EACH OF SAID BUILDING ELEMENTS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CARRYING GIRDERS HAVING TOP FACES ARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY IN ONE PLANE, A PLURALITY OF FLOOR BEAMS CARRIED BY AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID GIRDERS AND FORMING WITH SAID GIRDERS A SUPPORTING PLATFORM, SAID SUPPORTING PLATFORM HAVING INNER AND OUTER ENDS, AND A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTING COLUMN CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID GIRDERS, SAID PLURALITY OF SUPPORTING COLUMNS INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRAL MAIN SUPPORTING COLUMN AND AUXILIARY COLUMNS SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE INNER AND OUTER ENDS OF SAID PLATFORM, SAID GIRDERS, FLOOR BEAMS AND SUPPORTING COLUMNS OF EACH BUILDING ELEMENT FORMING TOGETHER A SELF-CONTAINED, SELF-SUPPORTING BUILDING ELEMENT, SAID SUPPORTING COLUMNS BEING VERTICALLY ALIGNED AND SPACED ALONG SAID HELICALLY-SHAPED SUPPORTING SURFACE IN THE FINISHED STRUCTURE EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SPACING THE SUPERIMPOSED HELIX PORTIONS OF SAID HELICALLY-SHAPED BUILDING STRUCTURE FROM EACH OTHER AND FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS LOAD TRANSMITTING VERTICAL COLUMN STRUCTURE EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE HEIGHT OF THE ENTIRE GARAGE, SAID BUILDING ELEMENTS ABUTTING AGAINST EACH OTHER ALONG THEIR RADIALLY EXTENDING EDGES AND BEING CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER AT SAID EDGES. 